Google appears to be testing a "watermark setting" that would let users turn off the logo in the bottom right corner of images generated by Gemini, after the option was spotted in app code (version 17.43.11).
Josh Woodward, who leads Gemini and AI Studio, said users had frequently requested removal of the visual watermark.
Given that, the update is likely to remove only the visible watermark while retaining two things:
That distinction is the substance of the story. A visible logo and machine-readable provenance serve different purposes.
The change reads as a compromise: accommodating the usability request while preserving traceability.
However, neither the release timing nor whether it applies to previously generated images has been confirmed.
Removing the watermark does not remove disclosure obligations. Even with the visible logo gone, regulatory requirements to disclose AI-generated content in advertising remain. How those are being operationalised is covered in Google Rolls Out AI Content Labels Across Its Advertising Platforms.
Build a labelling system for bulk operations. Watermarking individual images and declaring AI use at campaign level are different tasks. For bulk AI labelling in file-based workflows, see DV360 Structured Data Files v10.1.
Manage assets on the assumption SynthID persists. If the invisible watermark is retained, AI generation can still be verified later. Operating on the premise that "no logo means nobody will know" is a risk position.
Remember nothing is confirmed. This is a feature found in app code, with release timing and retroactive application both undecided. It is too early to design a workflow that assumes it.
It was spotted in app code version 17.43.11 as a "watermark setting" allowing users to turn off the logo in the bottom right corner of generated images.
Likely only the visible one. The invisible SynthID watermark and metadata-based C2PA provenance information are expected to remain. Gemini lead Josh Woodward noted users frequently requested visual watermark removal.
Not confirmed. Both the release timing and whether the setting applies retroactively to existing images remain undecided.
No. Visible logo removal is separate from regulatory disclosure obligations, and if invisible SynthID persists, AI generation can still be verified afterwards.
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